A Crochet Eskimo

Despite having lived in this city all my life, the unpredictable weather still gets me; yesterday was perfect picnic weather and just a little on the hot side and today I washugging my arms and trying to bundle up in a thin shirt and jeans. All the while I was thinking how much better my life would be if I had an amazing vintage crochet blanket to wrap around me and something clever to keep out the cold. Yesterday I spotted this gorgeous crochet square coat with a hood and I'm glad I don't own a duffel coat, although that may be more practical and good for keeping out the cold Australian Winter is never that harsh and I need something cute to brighten up my day when it's grey outside.

I was captivated by this pose of the arms out at the side as well as the hood pulled up and all buttons done up, there's three red buttons and one pink button but that quirk only makes me covet this piece more! I love the predominant white colour as well as the thick squares all together- I'd love to wear something this dorky and garish to my local library while wearing some fake glasses. I think I might get some lovely and even appreciable reactions there.

Even unbuttoned there's a certain charm about the crochet squares pulled together and how this creates a rough scalloped edge around the hem and sleeves. A basic black shirt underneath as well as denim shorts is a nice way to wear such a bold and colourful coat but at the same time the Mary Jane platforms and brightly coloured tights show off a attention-grabbing side to this piece as well. Things could only be better if I managed to make myself a coat in this style but since that won't happen for another couple of years I'll happily pay the cost of it when I scrap together some more cash.

I firmly believe my life will be complete when I can wear thiscoat around with pride and not care about being judged with my plastic rosary necklaces in pink and purple. I love vintage clothing but hate that they've been popularised so much the price tag has been driven up so marginally. Just you wait till I have a proper job- then we'll see who's fashionable! If only a library would hire me, then maybe my life would be complete and I wouldn't have to wear a uniform and I could be zany and interesting and not have to talk to people in low hushed voices and enjoy wearing crochet coats and fake glasses.

Larger than life Crafts

 

Since I'm an ignorant fool I have absolutely no idea where these wacky and wonderful photographs came from but I remember eagerly saving all of them at once to later muse on. Now seems as good a time as any to reflect and study these photographs with more detail and the intricate crafty nature of them. For someone who is unable to knit, looking at the image above makes both my hands and my heart ache. When I went away with my friends on schoolies a few weeks ago, I asked if anyone could knit and one friend was going to teach me; but when it boiled done to it I had forgotten my needles and instead we spent most of our time criticising shows on MTV as well as drinking while playing black jack and going down to the beach. Still though- it would have been nice to return home and being able to have learnt a new skill I've previously been unable to hone. If I had the drive I would join a knitting circle full of other people's grandmother's and middle aged women but, hey, what's wrong with that? Perhaps my interest in the craft will pick up in Autumn as the weather turns cold.

There's so much going on with the knitwear; the changing and mixture of colours as well as long knitted socks, the crochet blanket and the frenzy of pom poms on the ends of the large red and white scarf. I like the warmth of the knit wear in contrast with the cracked plaster and cold industrial world that the building represents. It's a bit strange though that it's held to the wall with ugly brown tape.

I love the string of dollies that lie in the covers and folds of a floral doona cover as well as the bright red bow. You can buy those sort of small dolls on the back of a hair barrette at the Oxfam Store. Everything in this photograph is such a strange and girly mixture- from the string of knitted dolls  to the floral hat worn by the sleeping girl. There's not many people I know that do wear hats when they're sleeping, unless their named Scrooge and are walking around with a candle at night.

This is by far my favourite picture within the set, because it allows the audience to come to their own conclusions about it's origins and story. For me when I first saw this I didn't see the grossly out of proportion small pegs on the ridiculously tiny clothesline. So when I first saw it I thought to myself that here was a place a lady giant and a male giant got together and began woo flinging and removed their clothes in the heat of passion. And then comes along three small brothers who are awe struck by the women's delicates and as to why the are amidst a forest scene. The panties look quite nice... there's a little bow at the front and the ruching affect has a nice texture to it. I can imagine all the humour and good will going on as those two pieces were being created.

This is something that you can actually attempt! If there's one thing I actually can sort of do, it's put together pieces of cardboard to make a house for my teddies. Although I never did paint it properly or make windows it can't be all that difficult; I can spy two orange juice cartoons used for chimneys and the windows are simple enough once you have enough strength to cut through the cardboard. I doubt I could be bothered putting that much effort into something that will probably be thrown out a few weeks later since there's no room for it at my house. Perhaps I could make a Disney castle in cardboard instead of a doll's house.